Jersey Sides & Totals: DraftKings Has NFL Odds Boosts But Bet365 Is All About Quantity

By Mike McGoughUpdated on September 4, 2019

Are you ready for some football?

The NFL season kicks off this Thursday in Chicago and college football season approaches its second full week of action.

That’s a lot of football, so you better be ready.

With 10 retail sportsbooks and now 15 apps firing on all cylinders, there is a lot to keep up with. Two weeks ago, Bet365NJ “soft-launched” its mobile app.

And last week, Fox Bet NJ began rolling out what is its rebranding of the existing BetStars app.

In this weekly column, I will focus on up to three New Jersey sportsbooks and take a deeper dive at the promos, props, and specials that you should be aware of heading into the weekend’s action.

For the opening NFL weekend, I’m looking at what’s on offer from DraftKings Sportsbook, Bet365, and Fox Bet.

What’s what at DraftKings Sportsbook

With a full season of NFL sports betting under their belts, DraftKings comes out of the gate with a strong lineup of offers and promotions.

In addition to a full menu of lines for NFL Week 1, here are some promotions to be aware of on DraftKings.

There is a different “odds boost” each day this week, ending with the full kickoff on Sunday, Sept 8:

It’s still surprising to me how so few books in New Jersey take a localized approach. It’s very straightforward. NFL fans in the Garden State are likely to be fans of the Jets, Giants or Eagles, so why not give them a hook to pique their interest on the weekend? It’s not that hard.

DraftKings does a nice job of tailoring their promotions with a local “angle.”

In DraftKings’ week 1 “no brainer” promotion, a bettor either needs the Jets, Giants or Eagles to score a touchdown.

Easy money, right? Of course, but note that this offer is capped at a maximum $10 wager (to win $10):

DraftKings also is offering “NO VIG” NFL lines for week 1.

As a frame of reference, below is the current “VIG” lines in which a straight $25 point spread bet on the Eagles at -114 would win $22:

With “NO VIG” lines, the same $25 on the Eagles at +100 will pay $25:

One note, currently these “NO VIG” lines cannot be included as part of parlay bets.

Fox Bet has a lot of personality

Fox Bet has now rebranded the BetStars skin. The old BetStars NJ black-and-red color palette has been replaced with the blue-and-gold theme of Fox Bet.

Additionally, Fox Sports on-air personalities now adorn most of the promotional lineup on Fox Bet.

For the NFL, there are promotions tied to Fox Sports personalities Colin Cowherd and Clarissa Thompson:

While there aren’t any “local” promotions on offer, Fox Bet does have some unique game prop wagering opportunities.

Below are the prop lines for quarterback pass completions and running back rushing attempts for Green Bay vs Chicago:

Fox Bet also offers an extensive menu of “Custom Bets.”

These bets will vary game by game and week to week. If a bettor wants to suggest a prop that isn’t currently listed on the app, a tweet to Fox Bet using the hashtag #CustomBet will get their attention and a response.

Here are some of the custom bets in place for the Bears-Packers opening game on Thursday night:

Don’t ignore the newbie Bet365

Bet365 is new to New Jersey. The British bookmaker launched in mid-August, just in time for the NFL season.

However, the current offers on Bet365 are more skewed to European football (i.e. soccer) than the NFL. The lone NFL bonus relates to an Early Payout offer, in which an early payout will be made if a team gains a 17-point lead:

Bet365 does offer American football action and tons of it, covering the NFL, NCAA football, and the Canadian Football League (CFL):

If you’re an NFL bettor that likes to look beyond the standard spreads, lines, and totals, Bet365 NJ is worth checking out.

There is no shortage of “action” on offer within the NJ sportsbook app. The Thursday night opener features 130+ “markets” from which to choose from. It’s an extensive betting menu that would rival any New Jersey diner in terms of scale and variety.

Here’s a quick overview of the main props and score props featured for the Thursday NFL Bears-Packers opener:

Taking a closer look, there are some unique props to be found on Bet365. Here is the longest TD scored and total number of field goals:

Bet365 also has several props related to scoring frequency for each team and each half:

In a nutshell, there is something for everyone playing via the Bet365 app. Check it out and take the time to dig a little deeper in this new site to find a prop or price that might be playable for you.

I will be tracking both Bet365 and the rebranded FoxBet to observe how they evolve with other promotions and offers over the course of the season.

Looking ahead to Sunday

At the end of each weekly column, I will make three football selections that I will track over the course of the season.

A couple of years ago, I would have used the disclaimer “for entertainment purposes only.” Since I live in New Jersey, in addition to the “entertainment” part, I will also now be betting the games.

For this week, here are my picks:

REDSKINS +10 over Eagles

VIKINGS -4 over Falcons

RAVENS -6.5 over Dolphins

Best of luck to everyone out there. Here’s to a profitable 2019 football season in NJ sports betting.

Mike McGough is a consultant who advises clients in such areas as media buying, sponsorship analyses, and procurement best practices. As a New Jersey-based sports fan and handicapper, he gives a unique perspective from business operations all the way to the betting windows. He specifically covers sports betting apps and online betting.